The Growing Popularity of Real Money Online Rummy Among Indian Gamers

Rummy apps are a part of the real money online gaming industry. Real money gaming, in turn, constitutes a minority portion of the overall gaming industry. In India, more and more gamers are opening up to the idea of putting in some of their funds to play online games. Despite casual gamers forming a majority, the real money online gaming industry is crucial for the long-term growth of the gaming industry. At present, rummy online enjoys a dominant presence in India’s online real money gaming industry.

A Growing Online Real Money Gaming Market

The Indian gaming market was valued at $2.9 billion in January 2023. There are 520 million gamers in India, out of which 115 million pay for gaming purposes. The number of paid users is estimated to increase to 200 million by 2025. A RedSeer Analysis on gaming has estimated that the paid gamers as a percentage of total gamers is likely to increase from 20% to 30-33% by 2026.

Real money online gaming, a section of the gaming industry, is home to over 150 million gamers. These gamers participate in card-based games, lottery-based games and fantasy games. Presently, rummy, poker and fantasy sports are the Holy Trinity of real money gaming – the most sought-after real money gaming options.       

Where Real Cash Rummy Fits In

The ReedSeer analysis also noted that a little less than 10% of total gamers in India are engaged in card-based real-money online gaming. Much of it would, of course, include real cash rummy. To understand where real cash rummy fits in within the grander scheme of things, let us look at the real money gaming market in recent years.

Since 2019, rummy has maintained more than half of the total real money gaming market share in India. In 2019, it had a 63% market share but decreased to 52% in 2020 due to an exponential growth in fantasy sports. It must, however, be noted that the market size almost doubled during this time, partly due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. 

The upward surge in market size continued in FY21 as well. Rummy reclaimed some of its market share in FY21 and FY22. It is estimated that the overall market size had quadrupled between FY19 and FY22. By FY22, rummy was estimated to control 60% of the real money gaming market share. 

The Road Ahead for Real Cash Rummy

It is estimated that by 2026, the real money gaming market will be valued at Rs 38,000 crore, i.e. Rs 380 billion. At 49%, real cash rummy could possibly command a market size of Rs 186 billion. According to this estimate, the real cash rummy market will continue to grow at a CAGR of 24%. 

Trust and Popularity 

The growing popularity of real money rummy platforms is down to several factors. Rummy, as a card game variant, is immensely popular in India and has been so even in the pre-gaming era. The introduction of real money online gaming didn’t automatically put rummy on a pedestal. The rapid penetration of smartphones and the affordability and reach of the internet also helped the market to grow. This is evident from the fact that non-metro gamers account for 66% of the market base for gaming platforms. However, the key influence for the growing popularity is the trust that these platforms managed to win.

A real cash rummy app like Rummyprime won the trust of their customers through the adept use of technology, a customer-first approach and ensuring fair play. Their use of advanced algorithms meant that the games played on these platforms were free from any malpractices. Randomness, a basic tenet in card games, was achieved through the use of sophisticated and globally certified random number generators. The adjudication of global agencies was obtained to certify that the real cash rummy platforms were free from robotic intervention. Stringent fair play rules and codes of conduct were put in place to ensure a clean and transparent gaming experience for the customers.

On the Right Track 

Rummy is overwhelmingly popular in South India and is in a growth phase in the North. As newer geographies are explored, rummy can reach even higher popularity standards. Based on the market pattern so far and the projections made as well, real cash rummy is expected to maintain its sprint in the growth trajectory.